Flushing-tank.



No. 841,214. PATENTED JAN. l5

C. J. VAKINS.

FLUSHING TANK.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.29,19o5f lg. Y.27

Y @ma/whoa: Char/e3 J. Alf/n,

wml/wm .UNITED STATES CHARLES J. AKINS,v OF HUNTINGTON,

FOURTH TO B. W. GRAHAM A OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- ND ONE-FOURTH TO G. W. SHERK,

FLUSHING-TANK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application filed September 29, 1905. Serial No. 280.623. A

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. AKINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington, in the county of Baker and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flushing-Tanks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in flushing-tanks, and more particularly to the one set forth in my pending 4application for patent, bearing Serial No. 258,948, and filed May 5, 1905.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of flushing-tanks, and thereby render the same more eflicient and durable in use and less expensive to manufacture.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a iiushing-A tank constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line 2 2 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the lower end of the iiushingtank, showing the operation of the lever.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 denotes a tank or receptacle, preferably in the form of a cylinder, having its upper and lower ends closed by plates or heads 2 3. The upper head 2, as shown, is convex and riveted in the open top of the cylinder, as shown. Screwed into a centrally-disposed enlargement 4a on the head 2 is an air-valve casing 4, which has its inner end projecting into the tank and interiorly screw-threaded to receive a threaded plug 5. Sliding through a central opening in the latter is the stem 6 of an air-valve 7, the tapered upper end of which is adapted to coact with a valve-seat 8, formed in the bore of the casing 4 above an annular series of vent-openings 9, provided in the casing 4 and affording communication between the interior of the tank and the bore of the valve-casing4 to permit of the escape of air from the tank. The outer end of the casing 4 may be left open to the atmosphere, or it maybe connected to a vent-pipe, which may lead to any desired point, and` if desired, an overiiow pipe or connection 10 may be provided, as shown, to permit any water which may escape from the tank through the air-valve to pass back to the water-discharge pipe 3a. Water is admitted into the bottom of the tank through a supply-pipe 11, which is screwed into a threaded opening 12, formed in the lower plate or head 3. The end of the water-sup ply pipe 11 which is disposed within said tank is formed with perforations 13, which permit the water to discharge noiselessly into the tank.

The lower head or plate 3 is, as shown, in the form of a cast-metal disk, which is bolted to an annular flange 14, formed cr provided upon the lower end of the cylinder 1. In the center of the plate or disk 3 is an outletopening 15, formed with a valve-seat 16, and upon the inner face of said plate or disk above said opening is formed a guide-frame 17. The latter is of substantially inverted- U form and has projecting upwardly from the center of its top a tubular guide 18 for the stem 19 of an outlet or discharge valve 20, which coacts with the seat 16. The valve-stem 19 consists of'two sections 21 and 22, which have a screw-threaded connection with each other, as shown at 23. The upper section 21 is guided in the tubular portion 18 of the frame 17, and the lower section 22 is guided in an opening formed in a cross-bar or spider 24,v which is formed in the cylindrical casing or coupling 25. The latter has its open-ilanged top 26 screwed or otherwise secured upon the under side of the plate or disk 3, concentric with its valve-opening 15, and its reduced lower end 27 is exteriorly screw-threaded to receive the outlet cr discharge pipe 3a. The upper end of the lower section 22 of the valve-stem is eXteriorly screw-threaded to receive jam-nuts 28 and 29, between which are clamped washers 30 and a convex ring 31, of leather, rubber, soft metal, or other suitable material, which is adapted to engage the valve-seat 16.

At the upper end of the upper section 2l of the valve-stem 19 is formed an annular air-outlet.

plained.

enlargement or head 32, which provides an annular shoulder 33. The head or enlargement 32 slides in the tubular guide 18, and the shoulder 33 is adapted to be engaged by the end oi-a dog 34, which is pivoted upon the top of the frame 17 and is adapted to have its end projecting through. an opening 35, formed. inthe guide 18. Said dog 34 is pivoted by a pin 36 to a lug 37, i'ormed upon the top of the bracket 17 and projecting into a recess 38, formed in said dog. The latter has upon its outer which is adapted to receive the lower end of a trip-lever 40. The latter is slotted intermediate its ends, as at 41, to receive an arm or lug 42, which projects from one side of the tubular guide 18 and to which said trip-lever is pivoted by means of a pin 43. The upper end 44 oi said trip-lever is disposed centrally in the tank 1 and is adapted to be actuated by a ioat 44', which is free to move vertically in the tank, according to the level of the water. Said float, as shown, is in the form of a hollow sphere of slightly less diameter than that of the tank 1, so that there will be little or no liability of the float sticking at any point in the tank. The said float is adapted to actuate the trip-lever 44 and the stem 6 oi the air-valve, as hereinafter eX- The lower end of the lower section 22 of the valve-stem 19 is adapted to bear upon a lifting-arm 46, which is pivoted to a bracket 47, secured within the casing or coupling 25, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Said lifting-arm 46 is adapted to be actuated by a cam-lever 48, secured upon a shaft 49, which is mounted in suitable bearings in the casing 25, and has one oi its ends projecting through a stutl'- ing-boX provided in the latter. Upon said projecting end is secured an operating-lever 50, which has a Vhandle 51 at one of its ends and a counterbalancing-weight 52 at its other end. The swinging movement oi the lever 50 is limited by stops 53, provided upon a depending bracket 54, which is secured upon the bottom plate or disk 3, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The operation of the flushing-tank is as follows: As the water enters the inlet-pipe 11 and iills the tank 1 the float 44 will rise and lift the stem 6 ot the air-valve 7 and force the latter upon its seat 8 to close the l/Vhen the handle 51 of the lever 5() is depressed, its shaft 49 will cause the earn 48 to elevate the arm 46, and the latter will force the valve-stem 19 upwardly, thereby lifting the valve 20 from its seat 16 and permitting the water in the tank 1 to discharge through the opening 15 and the casing 25. As soon as the handle 51 is released the weight 52 will return the lever 5() to its normal position. As the valve-stem 19 is elevated the shoulder 33 will pass above the dog 34 and permit the latter to fall by gravity beneath the vlace a loop or bracket 39,

stem slidable in said same and prevent the stem lfrom againl dropping. The valve 2() is thus held in its elevated position, sothat the contents of the tank may be quickly discharged. As the float 44 lowers with the level of the water it will strike the end 44 of the trip 40, and its weight will actuate the latter to swing the dog 3'4 outwardly from beneath the shoulder 33 and drop to their normal positions, and thereby close the outlet-opening 15 of the tank.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. j

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described,-

the combination oi a tank, a water-outlet therefor, a valve-seat in the bottom of said tank, a guide adjacent to said seat, a valveguide, a valve upon said stem to coact with said valve-seat, means for manually elevating the lower end of said valve-stem, a slotted., tubular guide for the upper end of said valve-stem, a shoulder formed upon the upper end of said valvestem, an overbalanced dog pivoted upon said guide and adapted to project through theslot in said slotted guide, a loop upon said dog, a lug projecting from said slotted guide, a trip pivoted upon said lugand having one end engaged with said loop and its other end projecting-above said valve-stem, a centrally-disposed air-valve in the top of said tank, and a float in said tank adapted to actuate said air-valve and said trip, substantially as described.

2. In a device oi the character described, the combination of a tank, an air-valve casing disposed centrally in the top of said tank, an air-valve slidable in said casing and having its stem depending therefrom, aperforated water-supply pipe projecting into the bottom ot said tank, a valve-seat formed centrally in the bottom oi said tank, a casing surrounding said seat, guides in said casing, a valve-stem slidable in said guides, a valve carried by said stem and coasting with said valve-seat, a lifting-arm in said casing engaged with the lower end of said valve-stem, a shaft in said casing, a cam-lever upon said shaft and engaged with said lifting-arm, a counterbalanced operating-lever upon the outer end oi said shaft, a bracket, stops upon said brackets to engage said operating-lever to limit the movement thereof, a slotted, tubular guide for the upper end of said valvestem, a shoulder formed on the upper end of said valve-stem, a pivoted dog adapted to project through the slot in said tubular uide and to engage said shoulder, a trip pivotally mounted upon said guide and havpermit the valve 20 and its stem 19 to IOO ITO

ing one end loosely engaged With said dog and its other end disposed centrally in said tank above said valve-stem, and a oat in said tank adapted to actuate said trip and the stem of said Vair-valve, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a tank having a vent, a valve to Close and open said vent, a

Water-outlet, a valve to control said Wateroutlet, means to open the 1ast-rnentioned valve, means to lock said valve in opened position, and a float to trip said valve-locking means When said float descends to cause said` valve to close, said float acting on its ascent to close the vent-valve, substantially as described.

\ In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of the subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES J. AKINS.

Witnesses:

S. H. GREENE71 J. H. SHIELDs,

L. C. GREENE. 

